Lot 33. A Blue and White 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' Brushpot, Bitong, Qing Dynasty, Early Kangxi Period; 15.7cm., 6 1/4 in. Estimate 20,000 - 30,000 GBP. Lot sold 103,250 GBP.  © Photo Sotheby's

of cylindrical form, the exterior painted with the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove engaged in various literati pursuits, including playing the qin and inscribing calligraphy on a rock face, accompanied by young attendants, all set within a bamboo grove, the rim encircled with an ice-crackle band and the foot with dabs of washes.

Provenance: Sotheby’s London, 20th April 1971, lot 34.
Bluett & Sons, London.

Exhibited: Transitional Wares and Their Forerunners, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1981, cat. no. 95.
Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period (circa 1620-1680 A.D.) from the Collection of Mr & Mrs Peter Thompson, Hull University, Hull, 1985, cat. no. 103.

Note: his brushpot is notable for the confident style of brushwork which is reminiscent of Ming dynasty painting. The treatment of the figures and rocks, with their clearly defined outlines and washes of colour, and the jagged flecked details of the trees and rocks can be compared to a fan painting by Qiu Ying (c. 1495-1551/2), The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, included in the exhibition Taoism and the Arts of China, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, 2000, cat. no. 43.The ‘Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove’ were a group of scholars of the Wei dynasty (220-265) who had renounced their official status and career in protest against corruption. They advocated freedom of individual beliefs which were inspired by Daoist philosophy. The seven sages, pictured gathered amidst a bamboo grove drinking, composing poetry and enjoying each other’s company, came to represent scholars disenchanted with official policies and are symbols of an incorruptible scholar. The popularity of the subject throughout Chinese history is reflected in its reproduction on a variety of media, including paintings, jade and bamboo carvings and porcelain.

Sotheby's. Chinese Ceramics from the Collection of Peter and Nancy Thompson. London, 07 nov. 2012